Shock absorber



Y 2,400.4907; y ysnooir Ansoaaaa George E.,Dath, Chicago, Ill., assigner to W. H.

Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Dela- Ware Application September 23, 1943, Serial No. 503,487

n 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in l shock absorbers, especially adapted for use as snubbing devices in connection with truck springs of railway cars.

One object of" the invention is to provide a simple and efficient shock absorber functioning as a snubbing device for truck springs of railway cars, providing gradually increasing resistance as the same is compressed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shock absorber, as described in the preceding paragraph, comprising a hollow friction member having inwardly converging friction surfaces and a cooperating friction member having resilient arms in sliding frictional engagement with the friction surfaces of the 'hollow member,fwherein said friction members have shouldered engagement with each other to limit relative separation thereof.

Other objects offthe invention will more clearly appear from thfe description and claim after following. f

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a central, transverse, vertical sectional view of the improved shock absorber. Figures 2 and 3 are horizontal sectional views, corresponding respectively to the lines 2-2 and 3--3 of Figure 1.

As shown in said drawing, my improved shock 4 absorber comprises broadly a hollow friction casing A; a friction member B having resilient arms telescoped within the casing; and spring resistance means C opposing relative movement of the casing A and member B.

l lThe friction casing A is in the form of a relatively short, cylindrical, tubular member, open at the bottom end and closed at the top by a transverse end wall I0. Near the lower end the side walls of the casing A are thickened, as indicated at I I, said thickened side wall portions presenting an inwardly tapered friction shell section I2 having transversely curved, interior, friction surfaces hereinsurfaces of the friction shell section l2 of the casing. At the upper ends, the arms I5 have outturned flanges ii which overhang the shoulder I3 to engage therewith and limit relative separation oi' the friction casing A and friction member B.

The spring resistance C preferably comprises a single coil which is interposed between'the disc Il of the member B and the top wall I0 of the member A. This spring is preferably under initial compression. 1

The top wall I0 of the casing is provided with an inwardly projecting hollow boss I1 adapted to accommodate the usual centeringprojection on which converge inwardly of the casing. At the i inner ends of thethickened side wall portions II, the casing A presents an annular retaining shoulder I3 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The friction member B is in the form of a slitk tubular member formed of heavy spring steel, the same comprising a disclike plate section Il provided with four upstandingarms Ili-I-Il-IS.

The arms I5 are spaced apart, as shown most clearly in Figures 3 and 4, and converge inwardly and upwardly in the assembled condition ofthe mechanism, as shown in Figure 1. Each arm I5 is curved transversely to fit the interior friction the top spring follower plate for the cluster of truck springs, and the disc Il of the member B is provided with a central opening Il adapted to ac-y commodate the centering projection of the bottom spring follower plate for said cluster.

v As is well known tothose skilled in thisart, my improved shock absorber or snubber replaces one or more of the spring units of a cluster of truck springs of a railway car and serves to dampen the action of the truck springs.

4Figure 1 shows the normal expanded condition of the shock absorber. improved shock absorber, assuming the parts` to be in the position shown in Figure 1, upon the spring cluster of the truck of the railway car being compressed between the spring follower plates, the members A and B will be forced toward each other, thereby forcing the spring arms Il-I l-I l-I 5 of the member B to slide` inwardly on the friction surfaces of the friction shell section I2 of the member A, opposed by the spring rresistance C. Due to the inherent resiliency of v'same are forcibly held in frictional contact with the friction surfaces of the shell I2 during this actionl It is further pointed" out that the frictional resistance is progressively increased during compression of the device due to the taper of' the friction shell section of the member A. Upon expansion of the coils of the truck springs, the truck spring followers are moved apart, permitting the 7 flanges Il of the arms IS-IS-IS-Ii with the d shoulder il of the casing A.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that In the operation ofmy their outer ends. said arms being teiescoped within said shell and having sliding frictional engagement with the interior walls thereof, said arms having outturned flanges at the inner ends overhanging said annular stop shoulder and adapted to engage the same to limit separation of said casing and member; and a spring within said casing interposed between the closed end of the casing and the transverse section of said member and yieidingly opposing relative approach of said cas- Y ing and member.

GEORGE E. DATH. 

